Age UK Petition the Government for Change

Thursday, 24th May 2012

Last week the charity Age UK presented Number 10 Downing Street with a petition signed by over 130,000 people calling on the Government to end the crisis in social care. The size of the petition means it is likely that Parliament will be required to debate this important issue, bringing the needs of older people who are being let down by the care system to the forefront of all politicians minds.

David Gower, who shared his personal experiences of social care in support of Age UK’s petition attended Number 10 Downing Street. He said ‘We need reform because we need to be able to help those who are unable to help themselves and there are many members of the United Kingdom’s citizens in this unfortunate situation. We do not and cannot afford to have a crisis where people at the moment are brought home from hospital, dumped in their flats and told to get on with it. It’s time to change right now.’

Legislation and reform is urgently needed. Social care provision is now at breaking point as chronic under-funding and an ageing population has created a crisis in social care, betraying some of the most vulnerable people in society today.

Funding and reform of social care is one of the key challenges for this Parliament, but it comes at a time of austerity and serious economic uncertainty.

Even set against the current economic climate, there are still positive choices the Government can make to the current social care system that will help older people stay healthy and independent for longer and reduce the pressures on the health care and social care services.